Amos - The God Of Justice - Preach The Word

THE GOD OF JUSTICE
David Legge
being honest with you before the word of God, I can't do anything else. Don't you
think that that pleases God! The only thing that pleases God is a broken and a contrite
heart for sin, and a trust in the only sacrifice for sin - and that is the slain Lamb of
God, Jesus Christ, the spotless, sinless, substitute Saviour.
God wants obedience. Even their singing didn't please Him. Now that's no surprise
when you hear it sometimes - but in chapter 5 in verse 23 He said: 'Take away from
Me the noise of your songs'. I'll tell you: there was great orchestral praise, this was
not just a ramshackle get-together around the piano! This was exuberant, very, very,
very highbrow praise to God - but to Him it was only a noise! They honoured Him with
their mouth, but their heart was not right before Him. They were steeped in religion,
they were making their pilgrimages to Bethel and Gilgal, they loved to go to meetings
- oh, Ulster is full of this! Even today, 'Go to the meetings', but there was no heart
repentance, there was no restitution, putting things right brother to brother, sister to
sister. There was no brokenness because of the church, or the land. There was no
true seeking after God, it was all external religion - hypocrisy.
Now how do you know if that's what you've got or not? Well, here's a threefold test of
your Christian activity tonight: one, does it bring you nearer to God? Does all that you
do on a weekly basis in church bring you nearer to God? Two, does it make you more
like Jesus Christ? Three, does it enable you to reach out to others, or do you become
more selfish and more insular? Now, can I say something, and I'm going to make a
very bold statement here tonight: if your activity as a Christian does not qualify in all
of those three counts, quit it! I'm not saying quit being a Christian, I'm saying quit
hypocrisy! The best thing that all of us could do, preacher included, on a regular daily
basis is to get before the old rugged cross, blood stained with blood so divine, and get
broken on a daily basis because of sin - and when broken and emptied, to get filled
with the Holy Ghost! That's what we need, and I'll tell you: a lot of the superfluous
activity in evangelical churches and the rest is nothing but hypocrisy. We've more
resources today than ever - conferences, conventions, books, sure you hardly need a
library any more, you go on the Internet and you have everything you could ever
want - but I ask the question of you tonight: are we any better for it, or are we
worse? Here in the West now I'm talking. Almost every year we hear through the
evangelical community of a so-called 'revival'. Now I believe in revival, and I believe
there is revival in parts of the world this very evening - but I'll tell you, here is the
test of true revival: it is not revival if people don't become more holy, it is not revival
if their holiness does not change the community in which they live. All that that is
before God is worthless religion and sham, whatever label is upon it!
That's what God said in Isaiah, if I can remind you of it - turn with me to Isaiah
chapter 1, we were there the other morning. Verse 11, or just listen as I read it to
you, Isaiah 1 verse 11, God says this: ''To what purpose is the multitude of your
sacrifices to Me?' says the LORD. 'I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and
the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. When
you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My
courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New
Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies; I cannot endure iniquity and the
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